Risk charter for medieval defensive earthen architecture in southern Spain

Abstract

Medieval defensive earthen architecture is typically represented by big and well maintained defensive walls, lookout towers or castles despite mostly represented by remains of tower walls or defensive walls. While studies on natural hazards have been carried out concerning these castles or lookout towers, there are no studies on defensive walls. Both are certainly significant from a cultural heritage perspective, despite the fact that the latter are less popular for the general public. In Southeast Spain, most of this kind of architecture has been affected, and occasionally reconstructed, by destructive earthquakes and/or landslides, in accordance with historical chronicles or field evidence, however, there are no records of low-scale natural hazards. Hence, aware of the importance of the prevention of natural hazards regarding the conservation of the cultural heritage, a National Emergency and Risk Management Plan for the Cultural Heritage, a National Plan for Preventive Conservation as well as a National Plan for Defensive Architecture have been enacted by the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport. According to these plans, a risk charter, including natural and man-made hazards, should be completed in order to improve investment programming. Cultural heritage risk and cultural assets maps should be connected in order to become an instrument for managing preventive conservation. Natural hazards studies should be conducted in order to protect cultural heritage, though they are not usually performed, most likely due to their cost. However, some natural hazards studies have been published in scientific journals, mainly signed by university researchers or various Spanish research institutions such as the Geological and Mining Institute of Spain. Some of them, including the Spanish Seismic Network or the old Ministry of Environment (currently known as the Ministry for Ecological Transition), have published several hazard and risk maps which can be usually used in GIS format. Yet, most of them are not even known by researchers on cultural heritage due to the different administrative levels in charge of natural hazards. In this paper, some recommendations to prevent natural hazards in medieval defensive earthen architecture will be discussed.